Nodo, a sandwich shop on the northside of Iowa City, offers both the traditional and the unique.

It’s easy to underestimate a sandwich shop next to a hardware store. But Nodo — a small diner adjacent to the North Dodge Ace Hardware in Iowa City’s Goosetown Neighborhood — doesn’t disappoint.

Inside is tight with only three high top tables. But, the space is decorated with industrial and eclectic flair. There are black and silver bar stools, reflective sheet metal, pops of local artwork and handcrafted hints, including the chalk-written menu board.

Being “off the beaten path” in Goosetown has its benefits. Parking is plentiful and the prices are wallet-friendly, falling between $3 for a side salad up to $10 for many sandwiches and wraps, including the Nodo Steak Sandwich ($8) and the Traditional Caesar salad with chicken.

The menu consists of staples such as deli sandwiches and wraps and several vegetarian options. Choose a soup of the day or sweet potato fries on the side. Cafe del Sol coffee is brewed on site.

We ordered Grilled Cheese ($6) and the Grilled Peanut Butter and Banana sandwich ($4) and added a Black Bean soup bowl for $2. On its own, the soup is $3.75. The soup was rich, hearty and the black beans plentiful. Peppers and onions packed a lot of flavor, but the soup was a little too salty.